Manifestations of the Affliction of Ignorance in Sentient Beings

The fundamental spiritual affliction of sentient beings is ignorance, which manifests as distorted perceptions and disordered thoughts in the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. We won’t delve into the spiritual ailments of the general public here; instead, we’ll focus on those who study Buddhism. What are the manifestations of spiritual illness among Buddhist practitioners? And what is its root cause?

The spiritual illness of Buddhist practitioners manifests as an obsession with self-promotion, rooted in the deeply entrenched, intensely strong sense of "self." To illustrate how severe this "self" is among sentient beings: when starting a business was all the rage years ago, society suddenly saw countless "general managers" and "chairmen" emerge. There were so many that officials at the business registration bureau remarked: "Your company only has two or three people; just write 'manager' for the position. 'General manager' or 'chairman' is excessive." Yet, the streets were still filled with "general managers." If a rock fell from the sky, it could easily kill twenty or thirty "general managers" and several "chairmen" in one strike.

Now, within Buddhist circles, the manifestation of the "self" among sentient beings is identical. They do whatever they can to stand out as extraordinary. There are countless "good spiritual friends," "enlightened bodhisattvas," "reincarnated bodhisattvas," and "bodhisattvas on the stage of equal enlightenment." Masters abound, and great sages seem to populate the entire world. If a large rock fell from the sky, it would instantly kill about twenty "enlightened bodhisattvas," ten "good spiritual friends," five "bodhisattvas on the stage of equal enlightenment," and three or more "masters." It might even be for the best if they were all killed. The Saha World is already overcrowded with sages. Let these sages hurry to other Buddha-lands to guide sentient beings instead. The Saha World doesn’t need so many; they just end up fighting among themselves. If they refuse to leave, force them out.

If one is fortunate enough to encounter a "good spiritual friend" of the mentally ill variety, they might be guided to "enlightenment" within a few days, or at most, a month. After being "enlightened" for just a few days or months, they’ll consider forming groups to teach and guide sentient beings. With sages multiplying so rapidly, the Saha World will soon run out of sentient beings to guide. Shakyamuni Buddha could finally rest and ease his worries. Then, let these "great sages" spread to other worlds to assist other Buddhas in guiding sentient beings, allowing all Buddhas throughout the ten directions to rest and relax as well.

In the future, if you encounter any "good spiritual friends," "bodhisattvas on the stage of equal enlightenment," "reincarnated beings," "arhats," "masters," or the like, advise them to disperse to places devoid of "good spiritual friends" and "sages" to guide sentient beings. Tell them not to crowd into the small Saha World, causing noisy disturbances. The Saha World is already mostly filled with sages; there are hardly any sentient beings left to guide. Don’t waste the talents and virtues of these "sages." If you meet anyone claiming to have attained "enlightenment" or "fruition," tell them it’s no longer a novelty—enlightened beings are everywhere. What’s there to marvel at or boast about? "Good spiritual friends" teaching and guiding sentient beings are also utterly commonplace and nothing to show off about.

Yet, there’s one puzzling thing: as the Saha World produces more and more "sages," why do natural and man-made disasters also increase? Could it be that these "sages" are bringing the disasters? It’s truly baffling!

Why do "sages" multiply so quickly, like cockroaches? Because sentient beings are utterly foolish and ignorant—excessively foolish, excessively ignorant, excessively self-centered, and overly grasping. They don’t study the Buddhist sutras; they reject the guiding light, preferring to remain blindfolded. With five layers of darkness covering their eyes, they bump into someone and immediately recognize them as a "good spiritual friend," blindly following whatever they say as if deeply hypnotized. They can’t think for themselves, accepting whatever is instilled in them without question.

These so-called "good spiritual friends" are even more powerful than the Buddha himself, manipulating sentient beings into complete submission. Thus, "enlightenment" is achieved extremely swiftly, far surpassing the Buddha’s guidance. If the Buddha were to come to this world, he might not be able to guide many to enlightenment, yet these "good spiritual friends" make the difficult seem easy. Isn’t that strange?

Why don’t those mentally ill sentient beings doubt they’ve been deceived after "attaining enlightenment"? Foolishness is one reason, but the biggest factor is the overpowering sense of "self." As soon as they gain the false title of "enlightenment," they immediately feel elevated, mighty, and superior to others, filled with intense satisfaction. All these sensations are severe manifestations of the rampant "self," yet they remain completely unaware of it. To put it crudely: idiots.